PPS Records for 85 Governor Street
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PPS RECORDS FOR
85 GOVERNOR STREET
PLAT 17, LOT 324
LONDERGAN APARTMENT HOUSE
Built 1940-1941
DESCRIPTION:
A 3-story multi-family residence with a concrete (or parged) foundation, asphalt hip roof, and a
variety of wall coverings: stone veneer on the first floor and wide flush board siding on the upper
floors of the façade; narrow clapboards on the first floor and wide clapboards on the upper floors
of the side elevations. A wood stringcourse wraps around the building to mark the delineation
between the first and second floors. The entrance is centered on the façade, flanked by
sidelights, underneath a portico with slim wooden columns; a wrought iron railing encloses the
top of the portico. Most of the windows are 8/8 wood double hung sash. The house is slightly
raised above grade: two stone steps lead up to the door. Behind the house in the northeast
corner of the lot is a 1-story, brick, 2-car garage with side gable roof.
The house stands on a 6,000 sq.ft. lot on the east side of Governor Street between Power
Street (to the north) and Williams Street (to the south). The lot has 60 feet of frontage on
Governor Street and measures 100 feet deep.
HISTORY:
In 1939 Dr. James P. and Cecelia M. Londergan purchased this property from Mrs. Londergan’s
mother, Mary C. Mahoney, and in 1940-1941 they built this house containing 6 apartments on
what was then a vacant lot immediately adjacent to Mrs. Londergan’s childhood home at 81-83
Governor Street. (A building permit was issued in May 1940, but the house does not appear in
city tax records or directories until 1941.) Since its construction, all of the apartments have
been leased to various tenants. The Londergans’ son, James P. Londergan, Jr., presently owns
the building, which continues to be a multi-family rental property.
Dr. and Mrs. Londergan and Mary C. Mahoney all lived next door at 81-83 Governor Street.
Mrs. Londergan’s parents, Dr. Cornelius J. Mahoney and Mary C. Mahoney, had bought the lot
at 81-83 Governor Street in late 1914 and built that house shortly thereafter; Dr. Mahoney kept
his medical office at 81 Governor, while the family lived at 83 Governor. Mrs. Mahoney
continued to live at 83 Governor when her daughter and son-in-law moved into 81 Governor.
Mr. Londergan, Jr. also now owns his parents’ and grandparents’ house 81-83 Governor, also
now a multi-family rental property.
Both 85 and 81-83 Governor Street occupy the site of a large stable block that stood in this
location from approximately 1895-1914 (give or take a few years on either end). It was likely
Albert Weaver who built the stables: the two lots were owned by Albert Weaver from 18671896, and the stables first appear on the 1895 atlas of Providence. Charles H. Weaver owned
both lots from 1896-1909, and Charles P. Bliven from 1909-1914, when Dr. and Mrs. Mahoney
bought the property. Their grandson, Mr. Londergan, Jr., reports that the stables sheltered
horses belonging to Cooke Street residents, and that the horses were exercised around the
small triangular park across Governor Street (identified on contemporary maps as Fenner Park).
PPS Records for 85 Governor Street
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DEVELOPMENT CONTEXT1:
Shortly after Providence was first settled in 1636, Arthur Fenner acquired a large tract of land
east of the intersection of today’s Hope and Power Streets (later expanded as far north as East
Manning Street). Fenner’s holdings included Slate Rock, the site of Roger Williams’s original
landing spot on the west bank of the Seekonk River (near Power, Gano, and Williams Streets
today). Arthur Fenner died in 1703, but his descendants retained the What Cheer Farm (named
for the Narragansett greeting to Roger Williams: “What Cheer, Netop”), until the death of
Governor James Fenner in 1846. Governor Fenner’s heirs recorded one of the first residential
plats on the East Side, the What Cheer Plat, in 1847-1848. This plat was bounded by Governor
Street on the west, a line between Waterman and Manning Streets on the north, a line east of
Wayland Avenue and Beach Avenue on the east, and a line south of Wickenden Street on the
south. The map shows the original Seekonk River shoreline (which once reached as far inland
as Gano Street), indicating that all new streets and house lots east of the riverbank were to be
constructed on landfill.
Providence’s first street railway company began horse-car service in 1864. East Side service
began in 1867, and by 1876, the Governor Street streetcar line ran from Market Square over
South Main Street, Wickenden Street, Governor Street, Pitman Street, and Butler Avenue to
Irving Avenue. In the last quarter of the 19th century electricity, telephone service, and
municipal water and sewer lines were also introduced to the East Side, facilitating residential
development. By 1895 most of the residences in the block bounded by Governor, Williams,
Ives, and Power Streets had been constructed; the apartment house at 85 Governor was built
almost 50 years later, the last house to be built in this block.
DESIGNATIONS
85 Governor Street is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a non-contributing
building within the College Hill National Landmark Historic District. (That district was listed in
1970, at which time this building was not old enough to be considered contributing to the
historical and architectural significance of the historic district.) It is not located within any local
historic district overlay zone.
RECORDS (All Records were found in Providence City Hall unless otherwise noted).
Maps and Atlases (All in Archives unless otherwise noted)
1798: “A Map of Owners of Lots in Providence,” compiled by Henry B. Chace in 1912: Plates II
and IV show Hope Street (“the Ferry Road at the head of the lots to Powers Lane”) and Power
Street (Powers Lane), running from South Main Street as far east as Hope Street. The outline
of Williams Street (1799) is also shown, as well as Governor Street (“The Road to Gov.
Fenner’s House”). Using these streets as a guide, the future site of 85 Governor Street was
part of “Gov. Fenner’s 57 acre Farm,” which lay on the east side of Governor Street from
Wickenden Street on the south to Waterman Street on the north.
1847-1848: “Plot of the What Cheer Estate Belonging to the Heirs of the Late Gov. Jas.
Fenner, surveyed and plotted July 14, 1847 by Atwater & Schubarth, recorded June 19, 1848”
(Plat Book 2, Page 19, copied on plat card 61). This map shows the plat bounded by Governor
Robert O. Jones, “Historic and Architectural Resources of the East Side, Providence” (RI Historical
Preservation & Heritage Commission, 1989, pp. 4 and 13.
1
PPS Records for 85 Governor Street
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Street on the east, a line between Manning and Waterman Streets on the north, a line east of
Wayland Avenue and Beach Avenues on the east, and a line south of Wickenden Street on the
south. The existing shoreline of the Seekonk River (roughly along today’s Gano Street) is
shown on this map, as well as a number of streets and house lots intended to be constructed on
landfill. Within this plat is the block bounded by Governor Street on the west, Power Street on
the north, Ives Street on the east, and Williams Street on the south. At the western end of this
block, fronting on Governor Street, are Lots 341 (50 feet north of Williams Street) and 342
(corner of Governor and Williams). Lot 341 is the future site of 85 Governor Street. (Registry of
Deeds)
1857: “Map of Providence,” by H.F. Walling, Page C5 shows the block bounded by Governor,
Williams, Ives, and Power Streets divided into 18 house lots. Most of these lots are vacant; only
four houses have been constructed, all along Power Street. The lot where 85 Governor Street
stands now is the second vacant lot north of Williams Street. No owner names or lot sizes are
indicated.
1875: “Atlas of the City of Providence,” by G.M. Hopkins Co., Vol. 1 (Ward 3), Plate T shows
the block bounded by Governor, Williams, Ives, and Power Streets divided into 18 lots in
approximately the same configuration as on the 1857 map. All four of the lots fronting on
Governor Street are vacant and owned by Albert Weaver; the second lot north of Williams
Street is numbered 341 and measures 5,000 square feet (50 by 100 feet). The map also refers
to the What Cheer Plat.
1878: “Commissioners Plat in Bill in Equity Warwick Institution for Savings et al vs. Francis
Colwell etal, surveyed and platted by John Howe, 1878” (recorded in Plat Book 14, Page 7,
copied on plat card 531). This is a partial re-plat of the original 1848 What Cheer Plat
(apparently recorded to settle a legal dispute). This plat is bounded by Governor Street on the
west, a line between Waterman and Manning Streets on the north, Wayland Avenue and Gano
Street on the east, and “Bird Street” (one block south of Wickenden Street, called “Bower Street’
on this map). The block bounded by Governor, Williams, Ives, and Power Streets is configured
exactly the same as on the What Cheer plat, and contains Lots 341 and 342 as described
above. (Registry of Deeds)
1882: “Atlas of the City of Providence” by G.M. Hopkins Co., Plate 1 shows the block bounded
by Governor, Williams, Ives, and Power Streets. On Governor Street, the second lot north of
Williams Street is numbered 341; it is vacant. No owner name or lot size is indicated. By this
time the block contains 10 houses on its 18 lots, and sewer and water lines have been installed
around most of the block. No public transit lines are indicated.
1895: “Atlas of the City of Providence” by Everts & Richards, Plate 7 (pages 36-37) shows the
block bounded by Governor, Williams, Ives, and Power Streets. A large stable, barn, or shed
occupies two 5,000 sq.ft. lots at the corner of Governor and Williams Streets (including the
second lot north of Williams), with the street address 272 Williams. (The owner name is not
indicated.) The building stands close to the Governor Street edge of both lots; each lot also
contains a separate outbuilding at its east end. A trolley line runs along Governor Street right in
front of the stable building. Water and sewer lines have been installed around the entire block,
and all other lots within the block have houses on them.
1902: Assessors Plat Maps, Plat 17 shows that the block bounded by Governor, Williams, Ives,
and Power Streets. Lot 324 is on Governor Street, two lots north of Williams Street. It
PPS Records for 85 Governor Street
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measures 5,000 square feet (50 by 100 feet). No owner names or building footprints are shown
on this map.
1908: “Atlas of the City of Providence” by L.J. Richards Co., Plate 8 shows the block bounded
by Governor, Williams, Ives, and Power Streets. A large stable occupies two 5,000 sq.ft. lots at
the corner of Governor and Williams Streets (including the second lot north of Williams), with no
street address; the owner is C.H. Weaver. The building stands close to the Governor Street
edge of both lots; each lot also contains a separate outbuilding at its east end. The trolley line
along Governor Street remains in place.
1918: “Atlas of the City of Providence” by G.M. Hopkins Co., Plate 18 shows a vacant 5,000
sq.ft. lot at the site of 85 Governor Street. By this time the stables are gone, and the house at
81-83 Governor Street (corner of Williams Street) has been constructed. Both the vacant lot
and the house are owned by C.J. Mahoney. The map refers to the “What Cheer Estate Plot.”
1926: “Atlas of the City of Providence” by G.M. Hopkins Co., Plate 18 shows a vacant 5,000
sq.ft. lot at the site of 85 Governor Street, next to (north of) 81-83 Governor Street. Both the
vacant lot and the house are owned by M.C. Mahoney. The map refers to the “What Cheer
Estate Plot” on plat card 61-531. The trolley line along Governor Street has disappeared from
the map.
1937: “Atlas of the City of Providence” by G.M. Hopkins Co., Plate 18 shows a vacant 5,000
sq.ft. lot at the site of 85 Governor Street, next to (north of) 81-83 Governor Street. Both the
vacant lot and the house are owned by M.C. Mahoney. The map refers to the “What Cheer
Estate Plot” on plat card 61-531.
[Note: the lot on which 85 Governor Street presently stands measures 6,000 sq.ft.; the
additional 1,000 sq.ft. was added when James and Cecelia Londergan acquired the property
from Mary Mahoney in 1939; see Deeds, below.]
Deeds (Registry of Deeds)
Deed Book 513/Page 22: On September 15, 1909, Charles H. Weaver of Providence sold to
Charles P. Bliven of Providence, two lots with buildings and improvements thereon [referring to
the stables] on the east side of Governor Street, known as Lots 341 and 342 on the What Cheer
Estate Plat as recorded in Plat Book 2, Page 19, copied on plat card 61.
Deed Book 550/Page 69: On December 16, 1914 Charles P. Bliven of Providence sold to
Cornelius J. Mahoney and Mary C. Mahoney of Providence, for $10, two lots with buildings and
improvements thereon [referring to the stables] on the east side of Governor Street, known as
Lots 341 and 342 on the What Cheer Estate Plat as recorded in Plat Book 2, Page 19, copied
on plat card 61. The deed refers to DB 513/22.
Deed Book 763/Page 397: On August 29, 1932, Cornelius J. Mahoney and Mary C. Mahoney
of Providence conveyed to Gretta M. Devanney of Pawtucket, two lots with buildings and
improvements thereon [referring to the house and garage at 81-83 Governor] on the east side of
Governor Street, known as Lots 341 and 342 on the What Cheer Estate Plat as recorded in Plat
Book 2, Page 19, copied on plat card 61. The deed refers to DB 513/22 and indicates that the
grantors (the Mahoneys) acquired this property from Charles H. Weaver (which they didn’t, as
513/22 clearly indicates).
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Deed Book 763/Page 397: Also on August 29, 1932, Gretta M. Devanney of Pawtucket,
unmarried, conveyed to Mary C. Mahoney of Providence, two lots with buildings and
improvements thereon [referring to the house and garage at 81-83 Governor] on the east side of
Governor Street, known as Lots 341 and 342 on the What Cheer Estate Plat as recorded in Plat
Book 2, Page 19, copied on plat card 61. Both lots both measured 50 feet on Governor Street
and 100 feet deep, and lot 342 was bounded on the south by Williams Street. The deed refers
to DB 513/22 and indicates that the grantor (Miss Devanney) acquired these lots from Charles
H. Weaver (which she didn’t, as 513/22 clearly indicates).
Deed Book 822/Page 229: On July 24, 1939, Mary C. Mahoney of Providence, widow,
conveyed to James P. Londergan and Cecelia M. Londergan, husband and wife, of Providence,
as joint tenants, a lot “with all buildings and improvements thereon” on the east side of Governor
Street, known as Lot 341 and also the northerly 10 feet in width of Lot 342, both as shown on
the What Cheer Estate Plat (Plat Book 2, Page 19, copied on plat card 61). The total property is
described as beginning at a point on the east side of Governor Street 40 feet north of Williams
Street, then bounded by Governor Street 60 feet, then extending eastward 100 feet, then
extending southward 60 feet, then extending westward 100 feet to the point of beginning,
containing in total 6,000 sq.ft. The deed refers to DB 763/397 and indicates that this property is
part of the premises conveyed to the grantor (Mrs. Mahoney) by Gretta M. Devanney on August
29, 1932.
[Note: It is not clear what “buildings and improvements,” mentioned in DB 822/229, could have
been standing on this property in 1939. The 1937 atlas does not show any buildings standing
on “Lot 341,” i.e. the future site of 85 Governor Street, nor any buildings on the adjacent lot to
the south (81-83 Governor Street) within 10 feet of the property line between the two.
Furthermore, tax records indicate that no buildings stood on this lot from 1938-1940, and a
building permit for the apartment building was not issued until 1940. Possibly the deed is in
error.]
Intent to Build Records (Archives)
Permit #40019: On May 6, 1940 a building permit was issued to Dr. James P. Londergan of
“85 Governor Street” to build an apartment house on Plat 17, “Lot 314.” [Note: There appear to
be two errors on this handwritten permit: Dr. Londergan lived at 81 Governor, not 85, and the
correct lot number is 374, not 314. (Lot 314 in Plat 17 is located on Power Street.)]
Tax Records (Archives)
Tax records are available from 1827 to the present. Prior to 1854, tax records were published in
a book listing the property owner alphabetically by name, the total assessment for any real and
personal property (without specifying where real estate was located), and the total tax due.
Beginning in 1854, the city kept ledgers (organized by property owner name) indicating the plat
and lot number of any real estate and the assessed value and taxes therefor.
1938, 1939: Mary C. Mahoney owned Plat 17, Lot 374, which was assessed at $1,400 for land
and $0 for buildings.
1940: James P. Londergan owned Plat 17, Lot 374, which was assessed at $1,800 for land and
$0 for buildings.
PPS Records for 85 Governor Street
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1941: James P. Londergan and Cecelia M. Londergan owned Plat 17, Lot 374, which was
assessed at $1,800 for land and $11,00 for buildings. Clearly, the apartment building had been
constructed since the previous assessment.
Directories (Archives)
Providence City Directories contain a street directory, noting all existing streets, and a residents’
directory organized alphabetically by last name; these also included a house directory, listing all
occupants of residential buildings by street address, from 1892-1894 and again from 1937 to the
present.
1939, 1940:
81 Governor Street was the residence of James P. Londergan, physician.
83 Governor Street was the residence of Mrs. Mary C. Mahoney.
85 Governor Street is not listed.
1941:
81 Governor Street was the residence of James P. Londergan, physician.
83 Governor Street was the residence of Mrs. Mary C. Mahoney.
85 Governor Street was the residence of 6 people: Katharine A. LaVelle,
Catherine J. McDermott, William Tierney, James M. Peters, Mrs.
Katherine Stark, and Earl T. Squire.
1942-2002:
85 Governor Street was a multi-family residence, with various tenants.
Assessor’s Chain of Title Cards (Assessor’s Office)
Plat 17, Lot 324 (“Governor Street” on card #1, “Pitman Street” [clearly an error] on card #2)
Albert Weaver owned the property as of July 6, 1867.
Albert Weaver Estate owned the property as of April 1, 1896.
Charles H. Weaver etal owned the property as of July 1, 1899.
Charles H. Weaver owned the property as of November 1, 1899.
Charles P. Bliven owned the property as of November 1, 1910.
Cornelius J. Mahoney and wife Mary C. Mahoney owned the property as of January 2, 1915.
Mary C. Mahoney owned the property as of March 1933.
James P. Londergan and wife Cecelia M. Londergan, as joint tenants, owned the property as of
February 1940.
Cecelia M. Londergan owned the property as of December 1956.
Cecelia M. Londergan and James P. Londergan, Jr. owned the property as of October 5, 1987.
(Refers to Deed Book 1671, Page 308).
Research compiled by Kathryn J. Cavanaugh
June 2003